Live From New York, It's Saturday Night!

For me, Garry Shandling is one of comedy’s overlooked heroes. The creator and star of two of the greatest comedies ever, “The Larry Sanders Show” and “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show”, has had an immeasurable impact on comedy, with his shows redefining the sitcom and paving the way for shows like The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld. He’s mentored people like Judd Apatow, Sarah Silverman and Sacha Baron Cohen. He’s one of Conan O’Brien’s closest friends. And yet, he doesn’t seem to be part of the conversation - certainly not among people my age. If someone could enlighten me as to why this is, I’d be certainly appreciative, because given the level of comedy nerdom that exists on Tumblr, both It’s Garry Shandling’s Show - a show which was ahead of its time and frequently broke the fourth wall - and The Larry Sanders Show - which remains the most accurate portrayal of showbusiness to ever grace our television’s screens - are conspicuously absent from Tumblr. To anyone who considers themselves a comedy fan, they’re required viewing. To anyone who is interested in writing, they’re required viewing. To anyone who considers themselves a TV aficionado, they’re required viewing. 

Today is Garry Shandling’s birthday. Happy birthday, sir. I salute you.